Our House is not a Home (Without You)
by GiftedPunk
Summary: Madame Mayor and Sheriff Swan are estranged & on the verge of divorce. Can their friends & family help reconcile a misunderstanding before it s too late? #Angst-y #Fluff #One-Shot #SwanQueen


AN: I had a crazy night of dreams. (Best not to ask about sink holes, crocodiles and apes with 3 legs) This 5 min fic was just a fleeting dream…

Our House is not a Home – (Without You)

The Mayoral Mansion didn`t feel the same to Regina anymore, it was empty, bereft of life and love maybe that`s why most of her evenings and weekends were either spent at her Town Hall office re-evaluating paperwork that didn`t need re-evaluating or over at her best friend Katherine`s town house where the two women would sit in relative silence sipping wine over Granny`s kale takeout completely avoiding the elephant in the room that was the brunette`s impending divorce from Sheriff Swan, who Regina categorically denied existed at this precise moment in time.

It was on one such night as Regina sat on Katherine`s couch staring blankly ahead, knee`s tucked under her chin, arms wrapped tightly around her legs that that the blonde again tried to broach the subject of her best friends impending divorce.

"Regina" Katherine spoke gently

"…"

"Regina."

Regina smiled dejectedly towards Katherine as she wiped her cheek, a single tear spilling from an amber eye

"Oh honey"

Katherine was beside her best friend in an instant wrapping the crying woman tightly within her embrace, the brunette`s head resting gently against Katherine`s shoulder dampening the blonde`s knitted sweater as her tears began to fall in earnest. Unsure of how much time has passed Katherine was content in the knowledge that when Regina`s tears eventually dried she would be there to listen with a non-judgemental ear.

"It hurts Kat. I never thought it would hurt this much" Regina`s voice nothing more than a horse whisper from hours of crying. Katherine remained quiet waiting for Regina to elaborate "Loving Emma, hurts. It just hurts"

"You love her" A statement not a question

Regina swallowed thickly

"I am reliably informed by Dr. Hopper, that _the heart want`s what the heart wants_ and apparently mine want`s Emma Swan despite her extramarital activities"

"Are you totally sure about her extramarital activates Regina? It seems so out of character; I mean the woman practically worshipped the ground you walked on."

Regina untucked herself from Katherine`s side scooching over to the other end couch to sit facing the blonde.

"I keep hoping, thinking maybe I`ve made some kind of terrible mistake but her distant behaviour for the last month of our marriage and the text messages on the Sheriff Office`s cell phone are irrefutable"

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose stopping another bout of tears that threatened to fall

"I thought Emma was forever. Lying together naked draped across her watching as her bosom rose and fell. Her heartbeat strong and true underneath the shell of my ear. Our limbs intertwined after making love..." Regina exhaled slowly "She promised _forever_ and I was an absolute fool to believe she spoke the truth."

Katherine smiled knowingly. Regina had lost her heart completely to Emma Swan the moment she had lain eye`s upon the unorthodox, hideous red leather jacket wearing blonde as she stood nervously on the Mansion stoop returning Henry to Storybrooke some years earlier.

The road to true love had by no means been easy for the two women. At first their constant bickering and banter led most to believe their relationship nothing more than a tempestuous affair but as time passed it was glaringly obvious to all those who knew and loved the couple, the love they shared was infallible and desperately true.

"Have you spoken to Emma at all, has she even signed the divorce papers you instructed me to serve?"

Regina`s cheeks flushed with shame

"No and I don`t know?"

"Doesn`t that tell you something Regina. Don`t you think you should at least try to talk with Emma before it`s too late?"

Regina ran her fingers nervously through mussed brunette strands

"It`s already too late Katherine. I wasn`t enough for the love of my life" Regina paused as silent tears once again fell "I have to let her go"

Katherine remained silent for a few moments unable to fathom answers for her best friend

"You staying?"

Regina smiled as Katherine threw a pillow and quilt in her direction

SQ

Katherine head held high strode with purpose into the Sheriff's office, her ex-husband Deputy Sheriff Nolan staring over his shoulder as his former wife rapped furiously upon the Sheriff`s office door.

"She isn`t here Katherine" David interrupted his ex-wife`s frantic knocking

Katherine turned to face David

"When will Sheriff Swan be back?"

"Katherine… Emma quit." David sighed heavily as he placed the files he was perusing before the blonde's arrival back into the cabinet sliding closed the heavy drawer

"Quit?"

"The morning you served her with the divorce papers"

"That was two months ago. How is Mayor Mills unaware of Sheriff Swan`s resignation?" She asked incredulously

David shrugged his shoulders

"Where is she?"

"Katherine?" David questioned "What do you want with my daughter"

"Look David for what it`s worth I think Regina`s making a huge mistake and I need to talk to Emma before she signs those damned divorce papers. Now are you going to help me repair their marriage or not?"

David chuckled at Katherine`s sudden determination to save his daughters marriage to the ex-Evil Queen

"Emma`s at the Lake House, she`s-" David paused "Emma isn`t good Kat. Regina couldn`t have chosen a worse time to doubt Emma`s love and devotion to her, it`s-"

"Broken her heart?"

"That`s an understatement. Emma`s devastated. Why don`t you let me drive you out to the Lake so you can see for yourself?"

SQ

The gravel beneath the police cruiser`s tires crunched loudly as the car travelled slowly along the driveway.

"What?" David asked "You`ve been staring at me since we got into the cruiser back at the Sheriff`s Office"

"You`re a good man." Katherine stated matter-of-factly

Quickly glancing sideways David regarded Katherine, her face sincere

"I`m sorry things didn`t work out between us Kat."

"Me too David, although after Emma broke the curse everything between us made perfect sense. We were never meant to be together; I was merely a distraction to keep you from your true love. If I can forgive Regina I don`t see any good reason why we can`t be friends like we once were in the Enchanted Forest, if that`s something you`d like?"

"Friends would actually be great Kat" David smiled as he pulled the cruiser to a halt "Really great"

As the unlikely duo stepped from the cruiser Emma exited the back door of the Lake House, her blonde strands pulled into a tight ponytail she stood hands on hips staring at the Deputy Sheriff and Katherine

"David? Wha-" Katherine`s head shot between Emma and David then straight back to Emma

"Like I said, Regina picked the wrong time to doubt Emma`s love and devotion"

"Dad. What are you doing here and with Katherine of all people" Emma scolded the Deputy

"Honey calm down Katherine just wants to talk."

"The last time I saw Katherine she handed me divorce papers David." Emma`s face crumpled as her voice broke "The least Regina could`ve done was tell me she didn`t love me to my face" Emma`s tears fell "Instead of getting her lapdog to serve me before dumping my duffle on my desk. Please leave and don`t come back, either of you."

Emma motioned to move inside

"Emma wait" Katherine implored taking a step forward

"What Katherine?" Emma whipped around "Because right now it`s just too painful to think about Regina. It just hurts too much, y`know?"

Emma disappeared from sight leaving a shocked and bewildered Katherine staring after her before turning towards David

"Regina`s?"

David nodded his head

"I`m-I don`t know what I am. Is that even possible?"

"Evidently." David smiled sadly "Emma was waiting for the right time, it was all planned and then you arrived with your bombshell and the rest as they say is… history"

"David. I`m so sorry I didn`t-"

"What was Regina thinking?"

"Regina`s adamant Emma was distant and she found some rather explicit text messages on the Sheriff Office`s cell phone"

David sighed heavily rubbing the fine blonde scruff that covered his chin

"The text messages on the Sheriff Office`s cell are mine, Mary Margaret sent them way before the curse broke. Emma asked but I completely forgot about deleting them"

Katherine chuckled

"What a tangled web we weave. Yet again it`s indirectly Snow`s fault Regina`s heart is broken"

"So I`m guessing there`s a plan to re-unite my daughter with her true love?"

"Excellent time to finally admit Regina is Emma`s true love Charming"

"I admit it took time for Snow and I to accept the Evil Queen-Regina after everything she put our family through but I`ll be the first to admit that she`s changed and I`m proud to call her my daughter-in-law"

"Come on Charming, get in. We can brainstorm as you drive us back into town"

SQ

Rushing into Town Hall past Madame Mayors PA without so much as a by-your-leave Snow barrelled directly into Regina`s office coming to an abrupt breathless halt in front of Madame Mayor who arched an unimpressed eyebrow at the unscheduled intrusion

"Snow?" Regina managed to keep the irritation from her voice which remained almost cordial, their relationship having thawed somewhat since her marriage to their daughter

"Regina" Snow puffed "David sent me, something about the Lake House and alarms and he`ll meet you there straight away."

"I would have thought Sheriff Swan to be in the perfect position to deal with this matter instead of dragging David and I away from urgent Sheriff and town business?"

"Emma`s out by the Old Toll Bridge"

"Alone?" Regina`s face blanched, her stomach lurched as she quickly grabbed her keys memories of earlier Toll Bridge incidents at the forefront of her mind

Snow smiled knowingly

"Yes _alone_ now hurry to the Lake House so David can get to the Toll Bridge to help my daughter"

SQ

Pulling up to the Lake House the Sheriff`s Cruiser was no-where to be seen and obviously no alarms were sounding, Regina smelled a rat she usually wasn`t so easily duped but the Charming`s with a little help, she suspected from Katherine had obviously played to her weakness, Emma and her previous Toll Bridge incidents. Ok-ay, she`d take the bait.

Exiting her Mercedes Regina quietly walked along the veranda and onto the back deck where she stood frozen admiring her wife who, wearing maternity overalls and a loose fitting red jersey positively glowed as she relaxed reading a book underneath a parasol on her favourite sun lounger with a large glass of iced-lemon.

Regina had never seen Emma look quite as serene or as beautiful as she did in this moment, unable to contain her smile or the shiver that ran along her spine she took a tentative step towards the blonde before softly clearing her throat, breathing

"Emma"

Emma`s head whipped up from her book as a voice as smooth as velvet caused her skin to pimple and the butterflies that had lain dormant within her to suddenly take flight

"Regina?" Emma gasped her book slipping through her fingers onto the deck

"May I?"

Motioning towards the fallen book Emma nodded her shocked assent, Regina was actually here, she`d hoped and dreamed and now Regina was actually, here. Placing the book carefully onto the small table beside her wife Regina sat at the bottom of the sun lounger close to Emma`s feet, an uncomfortable silence extending between them as both looked out over the lake each stealing glances when they thought the other wasn't looking.

"How are you?" Regina asked cordially acutely, painfully aware of her wife`s delicate condition but surprisingly instead of anger and fury all that mattered to the brunette was remaining rational and calm as to not upset her wife

"Honestly, I`ve been better"

Regina nodded

"I can absolutely agree with that sentiment"

They both stared out over the lake

"Why have you come to the Lake Regina. Do you want me to leave here too?" Emma asked feeling afraid and vulnerable, after-all the Lake House belonged to Regina`s before they were married

Pinching the bridge of her nose Regina closed her eyes inhaling deeply

"You know, you only pinch the bridge of your nose when you`re worried and upset"

"You claim to know me so well Ms. Swan" Regina snipped

Emma flinched at hearing her new/old status in Regina`s life

"I`m your wife." Emma whispered flatly looking down into her lap "I have memorised and notice everything about you Regina"

"Maybe before you fell out of love with me" Regina threw away the comment under her breath

"You`re the love of my life Regina I`ll never fall out of love with you. I just have to learn to exist without you because it won`t be truly living" Emma paused inhaling deeply before carrying on "It's you who fell out of love with me." Tears leaked from moist eyes as Emma continued to stare into her lap "I happily kissed my wife goodbye and headed into the Sheriff`s Office, the next thing I know Katherine is handing me a manila envelope and dropping off my belongings. Adultery? Obviously you think so little of me that I would betray you and the love we shared?"

"You were distant and there are explicit text messages on the Sheriff`s Office cell phone. What was I meant to believe?"

"You were meant to believe in me, your wife and our love. You could`ve asked me. You could`ve asked me anything and I wouldn`t have lied to you. I`ve never betrayed you or our love. I`ve asked David a hundred times or more to delete those damn messages from my Mother, no way was I peeking into my parent's sordid little nightshift trysts" Emma grimaced at the thought

"Snow and David?" Regina gasped "Emma I-" Regina`s fingertips reached for her wife

"Don`t" Emma warned recoiling from her wife`s touch "Instead of having faith in our love and in me you threw me away, out of _your_ life and out of _our_ home without explanation or consideration, like I was nothing to you. Like so many before you just tossed me aside"

Regina remained silent, realisation suddenly dawning she whispered softly

"Why didn`t you tell me you were expecting my child?"

"I wanted it to be special. I`d arranged a photoshoot so when you learned of our child the photographer would catch your initial reaction. I just knew that with exception of holding Henry within your arms for the first time, learning I was expecting your child would be the happiest day of your life to date."

"With exception of Henry you are missing two equally as important dates" Regina added quietly

Emma`s brow furrowed waiting for Regina too elaborate

"The day I went down upon bended knee and you agreed without hesitation to be my wife and the day we stood before our families and friends gazing into one another's eyes as we whispered… _I do_ "

Emma stared over the lake adrift in memories of happier times

"Have you signed the divorce papers?" Regina asked pensively

Pulled from her melancholic reverie Emma closed her eyes slowly nodding

"It`s what you wanted"

Regina`s stomach plummeted to rest somewhere around her feet

"Is there any possibility I could fireball those papers in the hope that you might want to remain married to me?" Regina asked hopefully "Because I`d love nothing more than to remain married to you."

"Regina, I don`t thi-"

"I love you. Wife"

Emma`s heart leapt as she flashed Regina her lopsided smile the one she reserved only for her. Jumping into the brunette`s lap Emma threw her arms around her startled wife`s neck nearly knocking them backwards from the sun lounger.

"I love you. Wife"

"You are carrying my child." Regina stated incredulously

Regina captured Emma`s lips the blonde gently moaning into the sweet kiss as Regina`s palm spread against her swollen abdomen.

"I`m having _your_ baby Regina. _Our_ baby."

"Please forgive me? I`m so sorry for being an absolute i _diot_ darling, that honour usually befalls you." Regina joked before turning serious "Please return to the Mansion, our house is not a home without you"

Placing a chaste kiss upon the tip of Regina`s nose Emma smiled

"Remember baby, our house is not a home without you either."

Fin


End file.
